A. Field
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for accepting or dispensing or returning bank notes.
B. Related Art
Apparatus for accepting or dispensing or returning bank notes are known. The known apparatus are based on the finding that a pocket which is used for inputting bank notes to be accepted is also used for returning bank notes which could not be accepted, e. g. because they could not be recognized or because malfunctions occurred during processing. Furthermore the pocket can be used for dispensing bank notes.
From DE 102 03 176 B4 furthermore such an apparatus for accepting or dispensing or returning bank notes is known in which a stack of loose bank notes is input in an opening of the apparatus or removed from the opening. The complete stack of bank notes is transported from or to this opening for further processing or removing the bank notes. A transport system is provided therefor, having an upper and a lower part, between which the stack of bank notes is clamped for transport, for which purpose for example the upper part of the transport system is moved toward the lower part of the transport system, on which the stack of bank notes rests. When dispensing or returning bank notes it is provided to transport the stack of bank notes for such a distance that the stack of bank notes protrudes from the opening, so that the bank notes can be grasped by an operator.
Since it is to be avoided while dispensing or returning bank notes that the bank notes drop out of the opening of the apparatus, the bank notes are usually transported for such a distance only that they protrude from the opening by less than half of their dimension. Moreover, the bank notes can continue to be clamped by the transport system to prevent them securely from dropping out unintentionally.
Through these measures for preventing the dropping out of the bank notes it is made more difficult for the operator to remove the bank notes from the apparatus when they protrude from the opening. The operator has to pull the bank notes out of the apparatus counteracting the clamping force of the transport system for a considerable distance. On the other hand, if the clamping is omitted, the bank notes can be removed more easily by the operator, but the risk that the bank notes drop out unintentionally increases.